Conventionally, a panel sorting device is provided at a lowermost-stream side in a workpiece conveying direction on a press line using a tandem press or a transfer press. Processed workpieces in the form of a plate are sorted to a plurality of panel chutes to be transferred by such a sorting device. The workpieces that are sorted to the respective panel chutes are loaded to a manual rack device by hand.
As such a panel sorting device, a device that sorts the workpieces to three panel chutes (payoff tables) has been known (for example, see Patent Document 1). The device is provided with a flap conveyor that sorts the workpieces to upper and lower beds at a downstream side of an outlet-side conveyor on a press line (i.e. a downstream side in the workpiece conveying direction). The workpieces that are sorted to the upper bed by the flap conveyor are transferred to a middle panel chute of the three panel chutes that are disposed orthogonal to the workpiece conveying direction.
At the same time, the workpieces that are sorted to the lower bed by the flap conveyor are further sorted to right and left panel chutes of the three panel chutes. Specifically, a laterally reciprocating shuttle conveyor is provided at a downstream side of the flap conveyor. The workpieces are sorted to the right and left panel chutes by moving the shuttle conveyor on which the workpieces are mounted.    [Patent Document 1] JP-A-2001-1088